1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for impregnation of fabric and, particularly, relates to an apparatus for the impregnation of a band of fabric such as medical gauze with a viscous medication in the preparation of rolled bandages.
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
Burn victims are commonly treated by covering the burn areas entirely with gauze bandages, thereby excluding exposure to air. The bandages are saturated or impregnated with various antiseptic ointments and medications to prevent infections from developing in the affected areas. A material recently approved for use as a burn medication is silver sulfadiazine, marketed under the tradename Silvidene by Marrion Laboratories, 10236 Bunker Ridge Road, Kansas City, Mo. This material is of a highly viscous, semisolid consistency, similar to that of hand creams and ointments.
Difficulties are experienced when attempting to thoroughly impregnate or saturate the open pores of medical gauze with this material. The gauze is commonly employed in widths of approximately 3 inches, which are the optimum size for holding in the palm of the physician or nurse while wrapping limbs of the victim. For successful application, the medication should be impregnated in the pores of the gauze to impart tackiness thereto, thereby facilitating the application of the bandage to the patient. The material should not, however, be applied to the bandage in excess since the excess material will extrude from the gauze as it is rolled onto the take-up spindle, requiring frequent cleanup of the apparatus and loss of valuable medication.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an apparatus for the impregnation of continuous lengths of medical gauze with highly viscous medications. Preferably, the apparatus should be supplied with suitable operation controls whereby the operator can preselect lengths of continuous gauze to be impregnated for the preparation of bandages of varied and preselected length.